SolarWinds Database Observability Reviews & Product Details - Page 15

SolarWinds Database Observability Overview

What is SolarWinds Database Observability?

Database Observability is a type of monitoring solution designed to help users maintain optimal performance of their databases by providing insights into their operational health. This solution is tailored for database teams who require a robust tool to monitor, diagnose, and optimize their database systems, ensuring they function efficiently across various environments, whether on-premises or in the cloud. Targeted primarily at database administrators, DevOps teams, and IT professionals, Database Observability addresses the critical need for real-time insights into database performance. Its capabilities are essential for organizations that rely heavily on data-driven decision-making and require their databases to operate without interruption. With the increasing complexity of database environments, including hybrid setups that combine on-premises and cloud resources, the need for a comprehensive observability solution has never been more pressing. The key features of Database Observability include the ability to monitor key performance metrics, which allows users to track the health of their databases continuously. By detecting early warning signs of potential issues, teams can proactively address problems before they escalate into more significant disruptions. This feature is crucial for maintaining service availability and ensuring that end-users experience minimal downtime. In addition to monitoring, the solution offers diagnostic capabilities that enable users to rapidly identify and resolve performance challenges, such as slow queries and resource bottlenecks. This functionality is vital for maintaining optimal performance levels and ensuring that databases can handle increasing workloads efficiently. Furthermore, the optimization features allow users to fine-tune their database performance through query optimization, effective indexing strategies, and better resource utilization, ultimately leading to greater scalability. One of the standout aspects of Database Observability is its ability to provide a unified view of databases across various environments. This cross-environment visibility ensures that database teams can manage their systems effectively, regardless of where they are hosted. By consolidating insights into a single platform, users can streamline their monitoring processes and enhance their overall operational efficiency, making Database Observability a critical tool for modern database management.

SolarWinds Database Observability Details

Product Website

Discussions

SolarWinds Database Observability Community

Languages Supported

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Product Description

Solarwinds Database Performance Analyzer monitors on-premises, on VMware®, and in the Cloud, including Amazon® AWS and Azure™ virtual machines. Agentless architecture, safe to use in production

How do you position yourself against your competitors?

From Monitoring to Mastery: Optimizing Database Performance With Observability -
https://solarwinds.dam.aprimo.com/dam/contentitems/2e7ea1c153a84d16b09eb2330155530c

Tuning In to AI - The Role of the DBA in AI Readiness Whitepaper -
https://solarwinds.dam.aprimo.com/dam/contentitems/d2b9da18604d4154a688b23301555159

Manage Your Multiple Database Journey -
https://solarwinds.dam.aprimo.com/dam/contentitems/0a311c44c293497f82f4b23301555223

Database Observability Self-Hosted Subscription Pricing:

Flexible Database Performance Analyzer for virtualized environments or SQL Sentry license per instance:

1-50 instances: $1,399.00 per instance

Volume-based discounting is available. 

Flexible Database Performance Analyzer and SQL Sentry license for cloud environments per database:

1-50 databases: $139.00 per database

Volume-based discounting is available.

Seller

SolarWinds Worldwide LLC

Description

SolarWinds provides powerful and affordable IT management software to customers worldwide from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses.

Overview Provided by:

Sarah Geaney

SolarWinds Database Observability Integrations

(7)

Verified by SolarWinds Database Observability

SolarWinds Database Observability Media

SolarWinds Database Observability Demo - Cross-platform Database Home Page

Single-pane-of-class visualization of your cloud and on-premise databases.

SolarWinds Database Observability Demo - Database Instance Monitoring

DPA can monitor database instances you manage on both physical and virtual servers or Amazon RDS instances hosted in the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)

SolarWinds Database Observability Demo - Table, Query, Index Advisors

Query advisors provide information to help you improve the performance of a specific query, including what type of waits were responsible for significant wait time, whether the statement was blocked by other sessions, and whether execution plans include potentially expensive steps such as full ta...

SolarWinds Database Observability Demo - Database Instance Resources

Use the resource metrics in DPA to monitor the health of your database and to correlate contention for resources with increases in database wait times

SolarWinds Database Observability Demo - Response Time Analysis

DPA graphically shows you where the longest wait times are, and it also identifies time periods when wait times that are longer than expected (anomalies)

SQL Sentry Quick Demo

Official Downloads

(1)

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From Monitoring to Mastery: Optimizing Database Performance With Observability

G2 reviews are authentic and verified.

Here's how.

Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/21/2017

"DPA is a pretty great tool"

4.5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The best thing I've used it for was looking for root blockers and monitoring deadlocks but just from the features that I looked at while in the trial period it can do so much more. It was easy to use and the setup didn't take much time. I know that a lot of time can be put in on it but that is something else I liked about DPA. If you are willing to spend the time and develop it, it could be a one stop shop Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

There wasn't much that I didn't like, there were times went the program seemed slow however that could have been due to the limitations on the database I was trying it on Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering SolarWinds Database Observability:

It's a great tool for analyzing your database with. I would highly recommend it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SolarWinds Database Observability solving and how is that benefiting you?

We were having issues with deadlocks happening during the middle of the day and DPA helped to quickly identify where they were coming from and who was causing it. (It was someone running 52 different reports in Orion for hardware monitors at the same time.) The benefits to me seem to be endless plus if given the opportunity within my current company I would like to see about getting it implemented Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Airlines/Aviation

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/21/2017

"Interesting way to monitor your databases using Wait-Time Analytics."

3.5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The wait-time analytics is great. The software easily points our where issues are with poorly written queries. Integration with the rest of the SolarWinds suite is also very helpful as we can place performance statistics from multiple modules onto the same graph. Adding storage metrics from the Storage Arrays with OS metrics, and DPA counters make mapping out potential issues easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Cost. The price per database is too high. We would like if SolarWinds offered an enterprise license. Also the trial period is too short at 14 days, it doesn't give enough time to fully vet the product. Aligning the trial with their other products at 30 days would be better. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SolarWinds Database Observability solving and how is that benefiting you?

We use DPA to monitor our Enterprise Monitoring Database. This software easily shows which queries are generating the most amount of wait-time. We monitor the database that is doing the monitoring for the enterprise. When we perform upgrades we can tell right away if there are performance issues. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/21/2017

"An Excellent Diagnostic Tool for Systems and DBA Collaborative Efforts"

4.5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The wait-centric focus of DPA allows monitoring professionals to speak in meaningful terms to DBAs and other DB professionals, quickly leading to common ground and productive output. In addition, the deep integration of the product with Solarwinds' NPM platform allows for correlated views, reports, and data gathering from the front end to the app to DB in a seamless fashion. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Not much - the standalone DPA console is a trifle limited for granular reporting and alerting. Much of this limitation goes away when integrated with NPM, however. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering SolarWinds Database Observability:

If you're a Solarwinds shop - or even if you're not - this product is worth your time. If eliminating the 'invisible' problems of Oracle/SQL/etc. is important to your business, DPA will help you get there. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SolarWinds Database Observability solving and how is that benefiting you?

Our primary goal was to identify bottleneck causes in weekly, month-end, and year-end processes. Being able to isolate the specific queries causing bottlenecks - and communicating those things effectively to our apps/DB teams - has significantly improved our execution level and reduced firefighting dramatically. The establishment of baselines for these processes also helps us be more efficient in differentiating between normal and abnormal ops. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Chris J.

Network Manager

Internet

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

12/22/2017

"SolarWinds DPA - View From Limited Use"

4/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Very in depth product and makes it a lot easier to find problems and root cause. Love the Tuning advisor, comes in very handy when you're not a DBA admin, and enjoy the query analysis.

Not being from a DBA background there is a learning curve to this, but if you take the input from DPA it will point you in the right direction more quickly to resolve the issue or even prevent the problem all together. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Cost due to the licensing model, depending on your setup. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ralf S.

IT Solutions Architect

Investment Management

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/21/2017

"DPA the discussion killer"

4.5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The view of the whole stack from the Database to the disk. This helps a lot to find bottlenecks. Also the Wait- and Blocking-Views are very helpful in finding problems. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The report engine of the DPA should be like the Orion report engine. The AD user and group administration could be better. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Financial Services

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/21/2017

"Production Database Administrator"

5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

performance dashboard that gives a health summary of all the monitored database instances. Alerts can be customized and be used to alert for critical events that are logged in the SQL Server Error log. The ability to replay SQL Server database activity. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Difficult to read the SQL Agent job failure and identify the actual job that failed. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering SolarWinds Database Observability:

DPA has it all. One tool that can monitor and alert all your SQL Server estate. You can also use it replay events that occur on your servers while you are sleep, it gives you all the events on your servers at at any point in time. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SolarWinds Database Observability solving and how is that benefiting you?

Being more proactive to SQL Server performance issues. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Insurance

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/28/2017

"DataBase Performance Analyzer"

4/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

We really like the integration with Database performance analyzer and Perfstack Analysis. Being able to bring the data side by side with some of the other solarwinds functions is what we have been missing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

I wish we could just do a complete integration with the Orion portal. Right now it feels like separate products which they kind of are under the SolarWinds name. If it was completely integrated into the SolarWind website and we didn't have to login to two it would help with the flow for our user base. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering SolarWinds Database Observability:

Its expensive but a great addition to your monitor toolset!! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SolarWinds Database Observability solving and how is that benefiting you?

It really provides our Database team with a central location for visibility into their application. As well as its very easy for non DBA's. We can provide access to our DevOps team and they can help correlate events with the Databases we have in dpa. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/22/2017

"We use DPA to troubleshoot on a daily basis."

5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The addition of the waits and deadlocks has allowed us to work with our vendors in fixing and streamlining various queries. This in turn has led to faster turn around and the end user able to work more efficiently. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Until the latest release there has not been a facility for SQL Availability Groups. However we have just updated to the latest version and are evaluating this functionality. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering SolarWinds Database Observability:

Solarwinds allows free trials of their software. Just give it a try and make an evaluation. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SolarWinds Database Observability solving and how is that benefiting you?

We have a few large databases and a lot of customization. We have been able to fix queries that were holding up other processes with the wait time analysis. Also we have extensively used the blockers/deadlocks information to further enhance and improve performance. We have been able to show senior leaders through the reporting the improvements that have been made, and increased end user satisfaction. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

James S.

Sr. Systems Administrator

Hospital & Health Care

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/29/2017

"Excellent product to give you real information about your database"

5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

The level of granularity that can be reached with the information captured by this tool. I'm also a huge fan of the explanations that are given with each of the individual items that are displayed. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

Sometimes it can feel clunky in the relation that the node has to the database. I feel like looking at the node should flow more easily into DPA as opposed to being so separated. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

12/22/2017

Business partner of the seller or seller's competitor, not included in G2 scores.

"DPA changed our life!"

5/5

What do you like best about SolarWinds Database Observability?

At many client sites, we were stuck, in a perpetual war between the DB, Network and Server teams, playing "Push the Blame" game since past so many years. After installation of DPA, we started knowing exactly, where our database performance was lagging, where the Applications were hogging the resources, where the VMs felt less provisioned. DPA was the best decision we ever took. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SolarWinds Database Observability?

We are fairly new on DPA, so we don't yet have explored much yet to find out any faults. However, it would be ever better if they expand the Vendors supported on DPA, a few of our SAP devices are not monitored in DPA. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.